The Cord Oct. 4, 2017

THE CORD THE TIE THAT BINDS WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY SINCE 1926

VOLUME 58 ISSUE 7 • OCTOBER 4, 2017

Making memories Almuni return for another successful homecoming News, page 3

WATERLOOP RAMPS UP

THANKFUL FOR WHAT?

MOVIES IN THE PARK

CALLING IN VS. CALLING OUT

HAWKS LOSE WIN STREAK

UW joins SpaceX hyperloop competition

Getting to the root of the celebration

Resurrecting Poltergeist on the big screen

Addressing problematic behaviour

Mustangs get revenge for Yates Cup

News, page 5

Features, page 9

Arts & Life, page 11

Opinion, page 18

Sports, page 20 PHOTO BY: TANZEEL SAYANI/PHOTO EDITOR

2 •

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2017

VOCAL CORD

How would you describe homecoming in one sentence?

The Cord

@cordnews

@cordwlusp

CordNews

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

“Black out.”

–Paige Hamilton, firstyear global studies

“I don’t remember homecoming.”

–Olivia Hayes, first-year economics major

TANZEEL SAYANI/PHOTO EDITOR

River Town Saints singer Chris Labelle prepares for his band’s performance on a double bill with Kira Isabella at the Turret last Friday, Sept. 29.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY: OCT. 4

Yes. The Cord has a podcast now.

“I was working.”

–Sam Hooper, second-year religion and culture

1537: First English language bible is printed.

1669: Rembrandt van Rijn passes away, aged 63.

It was only a matter of time.

1931: Dick Tracy comic strip debuts.

thecord.ca/podcast “I died.”

1939: World War II starts as Germany invades Poland.

1949: United Nations’ permanent headquarters is dedicated in New York City.

1976: Supreme Court lifts 1972 ban on death penalty for convicted murderers.

–Richard Ayala, second-year kinesiology

2006: WikiLeaks is launched by Julian Assange.

2016: Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale divorce after 13 years of marriage.

Compiled by Erin Abe Photos by Luke Sarazin NEXT ISSUE OCTOBER 18, 2017

CORD STAFF

FEATURES EDITOR Karlis Wilde features@thecord.ca ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Shyenne MacDonald arts@thecord.ca

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kurtis Rideout editor@thecord.ca

OPINION EDITOR Emily Waitson opinion@thecord.ca

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Madeline McInnis creative@thecord.ca

SPORTS EDITOR Pranav Desai sports@thecord.ca

WEB DIRECTOR Garrison Oosterhof online@thecord.ca

GRAPHICS EDITOR Alan Li graphics@thecord.ca

NEWS DIRECTOR Safina Husein news@thecord.ca

PHOTO EDITOR Tanzeel Sayani photos@thecord.ca

NEWS EDITOR Jake Watts news@thecord.ca

VIDEO EDITOR Sarah Tyler video@thecord.ca

NEWS EDITOR Nathalie Bouchard news@thecord.ca

LEAD REPORTER Erin Abe news@thecord.ca

LEAD SPORTS REPORTER Abdulhamid Ibrahim sports@thecord.ca LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Luke Sarazin photos@thecord.ca SENIOR COPY EDITOR Michael Oliveri copyeditor@thecord.ca SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Danielle Deslauriers socialmedia@thecord.ca WEB ASSISTANT Kate Weber online@thecord.ca

CONTRIBUTORS

EDITOR’S CHOICE

Serena Truong Vikram Benipal Will Borys John McMorran Sara Burgess Tyler Currie Victoria Berndt Leah Shaw Caitlyn Lourenco Evangeline Hunt Megan Pitt Aaron Hagey Vidish Parikh Abigail Barrett Tina Nori

“Calling in versus calling out” by Abigail Barrett

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES All advertising inquiries can be directed to Care Lucas at care.lucas@wlusp.com or 519-884-0710 ext. 3560.

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The staff of The Cord shall uphold all commonly held ethical conventions of journalism. When an error of omission or of commission has occurred, that error shall be acknowledged promptly.

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Quote of the week: “I was just looking! I LIKE looking at food!”

- Graphics Editor, Alan Li, revealing his (not-so-secret) passion for food.

• 3

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2017

News

NEWS DIRECTOR SAFINA HUSEIN news@thecord.ca

NEWS EDITOR NATHALIE BOUCHARD news@thecord.ca

NEWS EDITOR JAKE WATTS news@thecord.ca

News Editor Jake Watts breaks down all the highlights from 2017 HoCo Wilfrid Laurier University held its annual Waterloo campus homecoming festivities this past weekend from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1.

Events held at the Waterloo campus homecoming included a Friday night concert at the Turret nightclub featuring Kira Isabella and the Rivertown Saints, the anticipated football showdown between the Golden Hawks and Western University’s Mustangs and a variety of events, reunions and receptions for Laurier’s alumni.

“I think in terms of overall bringing together the community, hitting the attendance numbers we wanted to hit, making sure all the events that we were hosting, you know, really did their job in terms of connecting with the people that we’ve invited,” Sandra Palmaro, interim vice-president of development and alumni relations, said.

“We’re really happy with the results.”

One less exciting result for fans of Laurier’s football team was the game against Western that took place at University Stadium on Sept. 30 and ended with a score of 29-13 in Western’s favour.

“The stands were packed, the energy was fantastic. Unfortunately, we didn’t win that one. But you really felt that community spirit, that Laurier spirit, on the field,” Palmaro said.

Beyond events like the football game, which was open to everyone, there were many events specifically scheduled to bring together Laurier alumni, including the “Forever Golden Reception & Dinner”, which was held later on Sept. 30 in the Senate and Board Chambers.

“I had the opportunity to MC the Forever Golden event, which was the grads of ’67, and there were more than 50 people in attendance. It was a really moving evening,” Palmaro said.

“They all had their yearbooks out, and you know, hanging around after the event was over and really wanting us to continue to bring them together in that way,” Palmaro said.

Another event held on Sept. 30 was a celebration in honour of Don Morgenson, professor emeritus in the department of psychology, who passed away earlier this year.

The celebration had a large attendance, attesting to Morgenson’s positive affect on the community.

Down the street from all of the

events at Laurier, the University of Waterloo held their own annual “Reunion” weekend on Sept. 29 and 30.

When asked about this, Palmaro noted that having two homecomings on the same weekend presented no special logistical difficulties she was aware of.

Back around Laurier’s campus, however, observers may have noticed the increased presence of students throughout the weekend, lining the nearby streets donned in Laurier’s school colours of purple and gold.

-Sandra Palmaro, interim vice-president of development and alumni relations

Fully aware that there would be this kind of increased activity around campus, Laurier’s Students’ Union and Special Constable Services worked with the Waterloo Regional Police Service to make sure that everyone in the area stayed safe.

For Laurier, an aspect of this was having a role in the door knocking campaign that went on through the weekend, an effort put on by many different community partners. “[The campaign is] a partnership with our auxiliary, the Waterloo Regional Police Auxiliary Program, the City of Waterloo, the City of Waterloo Bylaw, Wilfrid Laurier Students’ Union, as well as Special Constable Services,” Mike Haffner, executive officer for the Waterloo Regional Police service, said.

“It’s a door-knocking program where we go around and just provide people with some insight as to that we are going to be out there and we’re going to have a fair approach, but we’ve also encouraged them to have fun and look out for each other,” Haffner said.

With respect to safety, Haffner was confident that the communication and collaboration the WRPS had with its various partners helped to mitigate potential trouble that could have risen over the weekend.

“Although there is a number of people that participated in homecoming weekend, we feel that we were successful in managing any potential issues ... we’re very fortunate that nothing too serious happened,” Haffner said.

In addition to ensuring the safety of students and community members, Palmaro noted the importance of maintaining acceptable behaviour from current students.

“From a safety perspective also, obviously that’s first and foremost is the safety of students. But also, it’s really to present ourselves to alumni and to the community as a school that behaves well and welcomes people in a way that you would want them to,” Palmaro said.

Following the events on Saturday, members of Laurier’s EcoHawks gathered on the morning of Sunday, Oct. 1 to begin cleaning up litter and waste left around campus.

Melanie Woitzik, EcoHawks coordinator, explained that the group conducts clean ups after the homecoming and St. Patrick’s Day celebrations on campus, in addition to doing two in Waterloo park at certain points through the year.

The dozens of students who assembled to clean up after homecoming this year received equipment to do so through the City of Waterloo’s “Partners in Parks” program.

“They gave us access to all the gloves, the garbage bags, the nippers, safety vests— they went over all the safety rules for a cleanup, especially around street areas; very specific guidelines,” Woitzik said.

Looking into the month ahead, Laurier has a second homecoming celebration planned to take place for the Brantford campus on Oct. 20.

LAYOUT BY: MADELINE MCINNIS/CREATIVE DIRECTOR PHOTOS BY: TANZEEL SAYANI/PHOTO EDITOR, GARRISON OOSTERHOF/ WEB DIRECTOR

4 • NEWS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2017

VOLUNTEERING

Choir sings for dementia Circle of Music choir works to bring community together NATHALIE BOUCHARD NEWS EDITOR

The Circle of Music is a funded and research based program that places people living with dementia, their care partner and high school student volunteers together in a choir.

The choir was originally the capstone project for Sasha Judelson, who has now obtained her master’s degree from Wilfrid Laurier University’s Community Music program.

This project goes beyond the typical choir to present something to the community which benefits the lives of many, explained Judelson.

“Intergenerational choir that brings together people living with dementia, their care partners and volunteer high school students who come together every week.

The same student is paired with the same couple forming a consistent trio, forming a strong bond, “Judelson said.

“This isn’t a traditional choir, it’s not a formal choir but it’s a collection of intergenerational voices,” Judelson said.

The program is meant to facil-

itate research as well as provide an experience to the more mature members of the choir living with dementia. At the start of each session after everyone has arrived Judelson begins her choir with a research based question.

We’re not striving for musical excellence, we’re using the music as a vehicle for social change.

-Sasha Judelson, former Masters student at Laurier’s music department

“I do what is called a mood check in, I have a smiley face, neutral face and a sad face and I ask people how they are feeling and I make a note of it because that is part of the research: does the music affect their mood?” Judson said.

“After we sing goodbye to every-

body I check everybody’s moods again.”

The choir itself is not just focused on research, but experience as well.

In order to run a successful program, there is a lot of behind the scenes work that goes into a choir like this; however, perfection is not the end goal.

“The atmosphere for the choir is very informal but that doesn’t mean that I am at all casual about what we’re doing, behind the informality are very carefully planned sessions both with the choice of music, timing how I seat people, etc.,” Judelson said.

“We are not performance-oriented so I don’t look to see how we have perfected this piece of music … for me it’s about being a strong community.”

With the help of a federal grant, Judelson wishes for the choir to continue their research and work for the community.

The community partners include the University of Waterloo’s Murray Alzheimer Research and Education Program (MAREP), the Alzheimer Society of Waterloo-Wellington Cameron Heights Collegiate Institute and St. Peter’s Lutheran

ALAN LI/GRAPHICS EDITOR

Church.

“The commitment from everyone and the willingness to make it work including the support from our community having the support of the Alzheimer’s society all of that really coming together has been really rewarding,” Judelson said.

Judelson also touched on why it’s important to facilitate this program in order to impact the lives of those living with dementia in the

community: “The most meaningful successes are how much it’s come to mean to the members of the choir and the students and people living with dementia and the partners in care, they really love coming to it and the atmosphere that they have,” Judelson said.

“We’re not striving for musical excellence, we’re using the music as a vehicle for social change.”

LITERATURE

Edna Staebler Award recognizes new authors Sonja Larsen’s work of creative non-fiction wins the $1000 award in 2017 administered by Laurier SAFINA HUSEIN NEWS DIRECTOR

Sonja Larsen’s Red Star Tattoo: My Life as a Girl Revolutionary has been chosen as the winner of the 2017 Edna Staebler Award for Creative Non-Fiction which includes a $1000 award.

The memoir is a coming-of-age story involving the author’s youth in counterculture organizations.

“To get [the story] from a first person perspective, and a child’s perspective as she grew up with it, you really get a sense of the way in which politics for her was something marginal but central to her life,” Richard Nemesvari, dean of the faculty of arts at Laurier said.

“She’s very skillful at showing that and kind of radical politics in particular, and the ability to create that effectively is why she was [on the shortlist and the winner] [sic].”

Sonja Larsen’s accomplishment will be celebrated on Nov. 9 on Laurier’s Waterloo campus in the Robert Langen Art Gallery and Library where she will be presented with the award, after which there will be a book reading held.

Following that event on Nov. 10, Larsen will be attending a meet the author event at Laurier’s Brantford campus in the Carnegie Building.

Earlier in September, Laurier announced two other books, alongside Larsen’s, which were chosen as part of the shortlist for the 2017 award, this included The

Shoe Boy by Duncan McCue and The Elephants in My Backyard by Rajiv Surendra.

“All three are very good writers obviously and so they’re very powerfully able to evoke the events in their lives that are the centre of the narrative,” Nemesvari said.

Approximately 50 submissions were received this year to be considered for the award.

These authors are doing something that is cutting edge ... it’s an interesting approach to writing.

-Richard Nemesvari, dean of the faculty of arts at Laurier

All three are very good writers obviously and so they’re very powerfully able to evoke the events in their lives ...

-Richard Nemesvari, dean of the faculty of arts at Laurier

LUKE SARAZIN/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

Nemesvari explained that, each year, a selected committee will choose a lengthier shortlist consisting of eight or nine books.

From there, a group of three panelist judges select the three finalists to be on the shortlist and, finally, the winner after that.

The judges for this year were Bruce Gillespie, Laurier associate professor for digital media and journalism, Anne Russell, Laurier

Sonja Larsen wins the 2017 Edna Staebler Award for Creative Non-Fiction.

associate professor for English and film studies and Sharon Brown, former Laurier librarian.

The award was created by Edna Staebler herself in 1991, who was a Canadian author born in Kitchener.

“She became particularly connected to Laurier because she saw it as a place that encouraged the development of new talent — and

that’s what she wanted her award to do,” Nemesvari said.

“She didn’t want her award to be for people who are already well-established, she wanted it to be for people who are just starting out,” he said.

The award, comprising of $10,000 and administered by Laurier, recognizes Canadian authors for either their first or second work

of creative non-fiction which must incorporate a Canadian locale or significance.

An additional aspect which makes this award unique is the genre on which it focuses.

While non-fiction as its own genre usually reports facts, adding the creative aspect to the genre brings forth a complex and unique addition to the stories.

“Creative non fiction is an effort to take those facts … and by using literary devices, giving them an additional impact. It’s a blending of creativity and non-fiction which is increasingly recognized as an interesting approach to art,” Nemesvari said.

“These authors are doing something that is cutting edge because it used to be, you weren’t supposed to blend those things — non fiction was just the facts. But I think that recognizing that it’s possible … it’s an interesting approach to writing.”

NEWS • 5

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2017 TECHNOLOGY

ALAN LI/GRAPHICS EDITOR

Waterloop competes at SpaceX Team of UW students create a futuristic hyperloop pod ERIN ABE LEAD REPORTER

Since January 2017, students from the University of Waterloo have been working to compete in the Hyperloop Pod Competition sponsored by SpaceX. The most recent competition was in August 2017, where universities competed to create the fastest Hyperloop Pod. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, introduced the Hyperloop concept back

in 2013 and, since then, companies have worked to make this idea come to life.

“The technology really is already here, it’s just that it’s hard to build 500 miles of track and [it] takes a lot of money and time,” Clive Chan, technical director of the Waterloop team and software engineering student at the University of Waterloo said.

Hyperloop One is one of the companies working to create this futuristic transit system.

Hyperloop One was announced as one of the winning proposal routes for the Hyperloop system and is a route from Toronto to Montreal.

Toronto to Montreal is the only route that won of the proposed Canadian routes.

The Hyperloop Pod is able to exceed the speed of any train we use today. The pod travels through a vacuum tube that contains no air and uses magnetic levitation to lift the pod off the track and guide the

pod to its destination.

The Hyperloop One website states that the pod will travel up to 700 miles per hour and is safe, energy efficient and reliable.

In Waterloo, the Waterloop team has already created two smallscale model pods for the SpaceX Hyperloop pod competition.

The first pod was built in four months for the first competition in January.

The second took seven months for the competition in August.

The most current pod created by Waterloop is 11-feet-long, about half the scale of what a full-size scale pod would be.

“The whole point of the competition is to demonstrate technology and to develop interesting ideas,” Chan said.

All those who competed spent a week-and-a-half in California with SpaceX where they received feedback and competed with various other participating universities.

The most recent competition was judged based on speed and allowed four of the participating universities to compete on the SpaceX Hyperloop Test Track, which is a mile long.

The winning team was WARR Hyperloop from the Technical University of Munich.

The team brought forth a pod that reached 323 kilometers per hour.

“The real benefit is that we are getting real engineering experi-

ence,” Chan said.

“SpaceX advisors would be walking around, offering suggestions and critiques of our designs and helping to improve the safety and efficiency of the designs.”

It was a huge learning experience and it teaches us how to be an engineer.

-Clive Chan, technical director of the Waterloop team at UW

The Waterloop team has begun preparing for the next competition which will take place in the Summer of 2018.

Waterloop will be redesigning their pod again and is in the process of exploring different proposal methods.

The team works with students from both Laurier and the University of Waterloo, from every program, and is looking for more members to expand their team for the next competition.

“It was a huge learning experience and it teaches us how to be an engineer,” Chan said.

6 • NEWS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2017 EMPLOYMENT

INTERNATIONAL OFFICE

Fostering success of students ERIN ABE LEAD REPORTER

Wilfrid Laurier University’s International Office continues their efforts to aid the success of international students within the Laurier community. With a rising number of international students, Laurier’s International Office has taken measures to ensure that all students are properly welcomed and transitioned into the Laurier community.

This year, Laurier is looking to focus more on mental health support for international students.

In addition to programs already in place, the International Office will be running a pilot project this year called Keep.Me SAFE by guard. me, an international insurance provider.

The Keep.Me SAFE program is an online multi-cultural counselling service where international students can request services in their language and speak with a certified counsellor regarding their mental health and other concerns.

The counselling service will also work with Laurier Special Constables in order to provide further support for students if needed.

The Keep.Me SAFE program will be launched sometime in the next month. For new Laurier students, the process of welcoming begins

even before students reach the campus. One of the steps in place is the peer mentor program.

Laurier’s peer mentor program connects incoming Laurier students with an international student leader. This relationship provides incoming students with an upper-year student to speak with from the time of the application process and all throughout their first year. The peer mentor program also holds events throughout the year to keep students engaged, such as the Coffee Club where students are invited to discuss topics pertaining to Canadian culture or other concerns they may have. “[The Coffee Club] is student led, and it’s a safe space where students can ask questions,” Peter Donahue, associate director of Laurier International Student Support said.

Along with orientation week planned by the Students’ Union, international students take part in a three-day international orientation.

“We start off with building a community amongst the international students so they know each other before O-week begins,” Donahue said.

During this time Laurier assists students with immigration, safety, health, insurance and other essentials in addition to building relationships.

The International Office utilizes school breaks to introduce students to Canadian holidays for those who do not travel during this time. Every year, the office holds a Christmas dinner with traditional festivities. Others spend the time travelling other parts of Canada they would like to see — Laurier helps to accommodate this.

The International Office also works to prepare students and teach them what will be expected while studying in Canada.

“We try to help the students use the knowledge they already have, using their strengths and skills that apply to life in Canada,” Donahue said.

Programs such as first language tutoring, which teaches students concepts from class in their own language, are ways Laurier attempts to achieve this. Laurier International emphasizes that students’ differences are a strength and an asset to Canadian students at Laurier.

“It’s not only about getting the international student to change to the Canadian ways because then we’re minimizing the impact that an international student can have on us,” Donahue said.

“It’s about opening ourselves up more to those different ways, if we don’t open it up, than we lose that different perspective.”

ALAN LI/GRAPHICS EDITOR

Minimum wage sees increase this week JAKE WATTS NEWS EDITOR

On Oct.1, the general minimum wage in Ontario rose from $11.40 hourly to $11.60 hourly.

The jump is a step in the provincial government’s plan to raise the general minimum wage up to 15 dollars hourly, first announced

by Premier Kathleen Wynne back in May. The next planned jump is to $14 on Jan. 1, 2018, then finally to $15 on Jan. 1, 2019.

The proposed 15 dollar rate is for what is called general minimum wage, distinct from separate, special minimum wage rates for different types of workers, including liquor servers and hunting and fishing guides.

Special minimum wage rates are slated to increase as well, by the same percentage and at the same time intervals as the general minimum wage.

These increases are all a part of Bill 148, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, which is currently in its second reading at the provincial legislature.

In addition to the changes for minimum wage rates, the bill also lays out a series of provisions meant to help workers.

If you say we’re going to do a gradual change over the next five years ... the odds that we’re in a good economy the whole way through are low.

-Ken Jackson, associate professor of economics at Laurier

In response to the proposed minimum wage increases, business groups have sounded many objections.

The latest of which, spearheaded by the Keep Ontario Working Coalition, is that the proposed rate of increases — all the way to 15 dollars hourly by Jan. 1, 2019 — is too fast and will thus reap negative consequences in the economy.

However, the members of government pushing the increase seem to have no intention of slowing the rate at which it is introduced.

Ken Jackson, associate professor in the department of economics at Wilfrid Laurier University, pointed out that an argument on the side of the business groups is that introducing the minimum wage increases slower would help preserve jobs.

The slow increase may help sort of maintain some positions as people sort of train into more work and are used to it.

-Ken Jackson, associate professor of econimics at Laurier

“There is an element of support for the business position that a slower change would actually be helpful, and that is that if you have an employee who is working for you who is trained, that was making $11.40 and now I have to make their wage $11.60, the odds that I actually eliminate that position are actually pretty low because I have that person trained,” Jackson said.

“The slow increase may help sort of maintain some positions as people sort of train into more work and are used to it,” Jackson said.

“A bigger change all at once — there’s an argument to be made that that bigger jump all at once is going to be much more of a problem,” Jackson said.

On the other side, Jackson pointed out that if the government is currently in a good position to handle an increase, it likely won’t stay that way for long.

“So we have an economy going really well right now,” Jackson said.

If you say we’re going to do a gradual change over the next five years or six or seven years or something like that, the odds that we’re in a good economy the whole way through are low,” Jackson said.

NEWS • 7

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2017 STUDENT LIFE

WILL BORYS/CORD PHOTOGRAPHY

Levy funds nap pods at Laurier NATHALIE BOUCHARD NEWS EDITOR

Empowering Students with Power Naps is a project created by Fani Hsieh, Wilfrid Laurier University alumna, and funded by the Student Life Levy (SLL) that seeks to have a nap pod available on campus.

The SLL allows for students to convert their ideas into a reality.

Since the 1980’s undergraduate students have contributed over $20 million dollars to the SLL. Hsieh applied to the project last year and there was a nap pod installed on the first floor of the Laurier Waterloo library in June. The nap

pod encourages students to nap during stressful exam periods like midterms in order to preserve their health and well-being.

“Nap Pods make your sleep more comfortable and restful sleep, opposed to just putting your head on a desk,” Hsieh said.

“The advantage will be the [fact

that the] time you spent sleeping would actually be used to sleep, rest and revitalize yourself.”

The experience of applying to the SLL was complicated, explained Hsieh.

“It was my first time doing something like this, it’s all about understanding the system the school has in place. There’s a lot of checks and balances that you have to get approval from different people and different departments,” she said.

Now that the school has a nap pod installed in the library on the first floor, Hsieh says that there are places where more Nap Pods can be potentially installed.

“It would be the only place for now because I was already looking for a place that was quiet compared to the rest of the campus,” Hsieh said. “Another place would be the 24 Lounge because a lot of people sleep there already, maybe the Wellness Centre as well.”

Hsieh had her own reasons for wanting to install these Nap pods. She says she’s fallen asleep on desks on campus which she explained is not so comfortable.

“I really wanted to apply to install couches or lounges in the library so I could sleep somewhere,” she said. “Nap pods have a significant student advantage given that they integrate a lot of things [into the pod] like playing music, timing your nap, as well as offering you shelter from the excess noise and lights.”

Student success is a factor which is taken into account when SLL is evaluating a project, Hsieh firmly believes that this project will impact students positively.

“A reason that I listed in my application as to why they should accept my project was because students are really pushing themselves during exams because procrastination is a thing,” Hsieh said.

Hsieh is happy that she applied as students tend to put their mental health on the back burner, especially during exams.

“We cut out sleep in order to finish something that we should have [finished] … months ago,” Hseih said.

Fani Hseih previously worked for The Cord as Graphics Editor.

CANADIAN MILITARY

Opportunities as naval reserve SAFINA HUSEIN NEWS DIRECTOR

Simon Gonsalves, fourth-year political science and history student at Wilfrid Laurier University, has spent his time throughout his post-secondary career undertaking a unique part-time job as a naval reservist with the Canadian Military. Gonsalves works as a naval combat information operator and member of ship’s company at HMCS Star in Hamilton. Gonsalves said that he decided to pursue a career as a naval reservist ensuing high school.

“Retail work wasn’t really for me, as a lot of other people were doing.

My brother was [working with the military], he recommended it to me,” Gonsalves said.

The unique experience, international travel, adaptable schedule and tuition assistance were a few

of the aspects which incentivized Gonsalves to pursue the field.

“It pays a good chunk of my tuition … plus the schedule is super flexible, it’s usually only one Tuesday a month you have to attend that’s mandatory, it’s very flexible,” Gonsalves said.

Though flexible, the job does involve a larger time commitment for those who take advantage of the travel opportunities, such as shorter trips that take place on weekends.

“The schedule is super flexible but if you want to make the most out of it, it does kind of get demanding … so if you take a lot of the opportunities they offer you it is time consuming. I’m there twice a week, it does eat into your time but it’s fairly worth while,” Gonsalves said.

This past summer, Gonsalves also deployed to Busan South Ko-

rea for the duration of a month as part of the Royal Canadian Navy’s Naval Security Team (NST).

“That was the first time I’ve ever left North America before so that was interesting,” Gonsalves said.

The NST works to protect and defend RCN ships and assets overseas by deploying small protection teams, usually these teams are made up of small groups of reservists.

“We follow around some of the ships as part of the big navy, we protect them in a way or maintain them so no one runs into them,” Gonsalves said.

“That [experience] was awesome, I’ve never got to experience Asia before and being able to get around eight days of total time off to explore Busan — it was unreal.”

This coming spring, Gonsalves will be deploying to Croatia for a month as part of the NST as well.

Park ticket-free.

CityWaterloo

pingstreet

LUKE SARAZIN/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

Simon Gonsalves is a Laurier student while working as a naval reservist.

Upon graduating from Laurier, Gonsalves intends on staying in Kitchener-Waterloo to complete a master’s degree.

“I’m gonna stick with it for at least two more years, we’ll see then onwards [where] life takes me,” Gonsalves said.

Find out how at waterloo.ca/students

get the free app

“If you make the most out of it, it gives you a lot of opportunities you might not get at an average student job. I’d never really get these chances otherwise, there’s some really cool opportunities and it’s really changed a lot of how I see things.”

8 • GAMES

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2017

Dear Life Dear Life is your opportunity to write a letter to your life, allowing you to vent your anger with life’s little frustrations in a completely public forum.

All submissions to Dear Life are anonymous and therefore do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Cord or WLUSP. They should be no longer than 100 words and must be addressed to your life. Submissions can be sent to dearlife@thecord.ca no later than Monday at noon each week.

Dear printer, Thank you for printing when asked to print.

Sincerely, I appreciate you Dear life, Why do I have four midterms on one day.

Why. Why. Why Why. Sincerely, Why

SUDOKU Sincerely, Puberty Dear Life, DOES VOLDEMORT WORK FOR YOU Sincerely, I WANT HOCO PHOTOS VOLDEMORT

Never gonna think of the Mandarin the same way again.

Sincerely, Y’all are the type to tweet for Bell Let’s Talk but don’t give a shit about the actual people behind showing your own “support” one day a year

Dear Dog Days, Dear Jakey, I wish I could get to know you, but I get in my way. Every time I try to spit out something more than ‘hey’ I spiral in my mind. Don’t ask that, you’ll seem stupid. Why would you make that joke? Now he thinks you’re a lunatic. ‘That shirt looks nice on you’ Great, now you sound like an auntie.

You make me feel like I’m in high school again, and I can’t tell if that’s a good thing.

Sincerely, Puppy Love Dear Life,

Dear Life,

have a little compassion for those with mental illnesses, your conversation makes me want to vomit. If your friend has anxiety, don’t make it worse for them by gossiping and blaming them for their symptoms.

If I can hear you talking through my headphones on floor six of the library, you need to shut the fuck up or move down a couple of floors. Also,

I love ur muscles when i see u holding a copy of the cord Sincerely, Hot 4 Watts Dear former profs, When you add me on LinkedIn, it shows that you remember me and care for me as a person instead of just a number. Even if we can’t always help each other out with similar contacts, it warms my heart and makes me feel like there are people looking out for me in the grand scary world that is post-graduation. I hope that I’ve made some sort of impact on you too if you are comfortable enough adding me too.

Sincerely, Thank you for believing in me Dear Jakey, I am not the OG Hot for Watts, but I’m still a big fan. Take me to space.

Sincerely, Hot 4 Watts Dear Chris Hadfield fan, You’re outta this world!

Sincerely, Earthling Dear Life,

CHAINSAW LOVERS OF THE WEEK PAULO DOS SANTOS

I really REALLY need this reading week. But I am super anxious about the remaining 8 weeks of school that come after it. This is the first semester where I don’t enjoy most of my classes. It seems like its going to be a tough semester and that realization weighs heavily on my heart.

Sincerely, A boy among men Dear Skye, I would never put a knife in your back; the love I give her is kind of creepy, but fuck it, she orders and I deliver Sincerely, your biggest fan

BINGO CARDS $5 for first 2 $1 for every additional RAFFLE TICKETS $ 2 for $1 $3 for $5

Dear Harry Potter fans, Romilda Vane is an underrated character, even if she’s not a good one.

Honestly, fight me on this.

6:30-9:30pm 19+ event

Sincerely, Pure Gryffindor Dear England, I wish I were in you instead of stressed.

Sincerely, Not in a sex way tho

GAMES • 9

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2017 WORD SEARCH CALLING-IN

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Book your graduation photos now at wlusp.com

10 •

FEATURES EDITOR/KARLIS WILDE/FEATURES@THECORD.CA

FEATU

URES

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2017 • 11

Separation of Church and Plate De-constructing the religious aspects of Thanksgiving, the tastiest holiday of the year, with Features Editor Karlis Wilde When we celebrate Thanksgiving, to whom are we giving thanks?

It’s a question that seems to posit its own questions. Surely, a great deal of that thanks can be given to those we are closest to: our friends and our families.

But there have been and always will be things that go far, far beyond our own control.

Are we giving thanks to the earth? What about the winds and the rain that fed it over the past year, growing its bountiful harvest of delicious squash and potatoes on which we can feast?

If so, where does that end? Are we thanking the root vegetables themselves? Are we celebrating the spirits that those represent in our consciousness? Are we ascribing that force to any sort of deity and, if so, is it really appropriate to subject the Canadian calendar to circle around that statutory celebration?

With so many questions, I found that I had to dig a little bit deeper.

To begin, the Canadian version of Thanksgiving as we know and understand it today began in 1957, with a proclamation from Governor General Vincent Massey.

Massey announced it as: “A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed.”

This sort of statement appears to transform the holiday into a specifically religious celebration. The kind of religious celebration that appears to be at odds with the religious diversity of much of the population.

Following statements like this, it’s difficult not to see an enormous Euro-Christian bias to the ethos and function of Canada.

“The [Canadian] government is predominately Christian,” Doug Thomas, president of the Society of Ontario Freethinkers said.

The Society of Ontario Freethinkers is a local atheistic group dedicated to creating a distinctly non-religious space for community and discussion.

Thomas sees that kind of Christianity to be a force at work within our communities that has been enormously prevalent in the cultural history of Canada. But he also recognizes the changes in Canadian society that shape opinions and expressions, and how those have changed since the 1950s.

-Doug Thomas, president of the “Having a public official like the Society of Ontario Freethinkers Governor General making the statement that was made in 1957 … should be off the table,” Thomas said. “[And for the most part] it is; I can’t imagine [current Governor General] Julie Payette making that statement.”

“The sentiment generally — under the table — is that we’re moving away from religion.”

While there has been some systemic preference for Christian traditions in Canada, it hasn’t always been the only influential system of belief within this country, especially if we extend the history of this land further back than the 150 years since Confederation.

For more insight, I spoke with Michel Desjardins, a Wilfrid Laurier Religion & Culture professor who has spent much of his academic career looking at the link between religious traditions and food.

He saw the version of Canadian Thanksgiving established in the 1950s to be more of its own reinterpretation of ideas humanity has been celebrating for much, much longer.

“I think [Thanksgiving is] fabulous [in its diversity],” said Desjardins. “If you look at a typical Hindu festival or a Christian or Jewish festival, it’s linked to a religion.

And they can open up a bit and you can say, well, Christmas can be celebrated by everyone, but it’s really a Christian festival.”

“But Thanksgiving, if you look at the way it was described in 1957 … I don’t know this for a fact, but I suspect that it’s got reference to God in it because that’s how people talked about giving thanks [at that particular time].”

“If you’re looking at the specific time, it goes back to the 1950s. If you’re looking at people talking about a Thanksgiving Canadian festival, it goes back to the 19th century. And if you’re talking about individuals celebrating, giving thanks for food, it’s been here forever — just not in that specific time in October.”

Despite some historical overlap with Christianity, Desjardins sees the actual functionality of the holiday as far more diverse: “It’s also a fabulous holiday because, if you look back on Canadian history, one of the things that happened early on is that the Europeans who came here to settle, they would have died had it not been for help from the indigenous people about what to eat and how to store foods.”

“And so when you look back at the records of that and people gathering to give

thanks, Europeans who had arrived were deeply connected to the indigenous people. And they might have been Christians coming here from Europe giving thanks to God for what had happened but they were also deeply indebted to the indigenous communities.”

“So for people who want to use thanksgiving as the way of reinforcing the importance of indigenous people here, it’s a perfect opportunity because that’s how it all started. And so again it’s the flexibility of that kind of festival that’s fabulous.”

He continued by describing how that flexibility can be understood from a religious perspective, a cultural perspective or even just an individual, practical perspective, which especially leads to a focus on food — the turkey, the stuffing.

“I know a lot of people who celebrate [Thanksgiving] who aren’t religious at all and I know some people who celebrate it who are very, very religious and they can both celebrate the holiday and feel quite good about it,” Desjardins said.

Coming from an expectation that colonialism would have an enormous effect on how we understand Canadian Thanksgiving — due to the fact that the bounty we are celebrating comes from Indigenous land — I was surprised to see the roots of Thanksgiving described in a way that was only tethered to the positive parts of that history.

But perhaps, in a way, that idea of Thanksgiving is merely based on the cultural lens through which we view it. In many ways, Thanksgiving is merely a reaction to the foods that the earth produces.

“Thanksgiving has come in this part of the world during harvest times,” Desjardins said.

“And there are certain vegetables that are available then. I think it becomes very practical, right?

You serve the bounty of the fall harvest and at that particular time you have pumpkins and squash and apples and so forth and those get used and turkeys are around.”

None of this means that we are not impacted by religious or ethnic connotations that may not be fair to a large, differently minded portion of the Canadian population.

As Doug Thomas reflected on the fact that Canada’s anthem makes reference to God and is sung in schools every morning: “You’re forcing religion on the presumably 25% of the students that are atheist.”

But Thomas also sees a great deal of flexibility attached to the holiday. It’s not necessarily an occasion that he sees as imperative to avoid for atheists. Members of the Society of Freethinkers, his secular humanist group, still have much to be thankful for — it’s where those thanks are directed that’s important.

“We would give thanks to the people who provide food … for example, farmers. It’s a time to remind ourselves about being responsible, ecologically or environmentally … everybody has a personal thing that they want to be thankful for.”

But do the systemized origins ruin the adaptability of the holiday? “[Holidays like Thanksgiving] come out of our religious roots,” Thomas said.

“You’re not going to change that. We haven’t changed the days of the week which are all based on Norse gods; many of the names of the months are based on Roman gods.”

In that same vein, it’s also worth considering how the roots of that Christian tradition were predated by other traditions, including those of Indigenous peoples. For as long as people have been around, they have seen a spiritual relationship between their own actions and their having enough food to survive.

“You had this very interesting phenomenon,” explained Desjardins, “where, when people arrived on this continent and they didn’t have enough food because the gardens failed and they couldn’t go to the store because there were no stores, they fasted instead of trying to scramble and look for berries or whatever.”

“They thought that by not eating they would show to god that they were caring and properly devoted to god, hoping that the fast would lead god the next year to make the food grow in the garden,” Desjardins said.

In the end, what does it all mean?

It means that Thanksgiving is fundamentally a Rorschach of a holiday, meaning that — in many ways — you can choose what it means to you.

That doesn’t mean that there aren’t enormous social differences and issues based on the reconstructions of the holiday by different groups; the same thing could be said of virtually everything and anything in this current age of de and reconstruction.

After all, you get the day off. Be thankful for what you have and be thankful to whomever has provided it for you — whether that provider is yourself, your mom and dad, the earth itself or your god.

Enjoy the holiday and appreciate what you have.

The sentiment generally — under the table — is that we’re moving away from religion.

MADELINE MCINNIS/CREATIVE DIRECTOR

12 •

Arts & Life

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2017 ARTS & LIFE EDITOR SHYENNE MACDONALD arts@thecord.ca

MEDIA

Big dreams on a small budget VIKRAM BENIPAL/CORD GRAPHICS

EVANGELINE HUNT CORD ARTS

When thinking about a career in filmmaking, it’s not surprising that we might think of big-budget Hollywood productions that are unattainable for the majority of us.

But local success stories Ava Torres and Helmann Wilhelm are examples of how this is not always true.

Torres and Wilhelm are graduates of Cinema Studies at the University of Toronto, and in 2017 founded Canted Pictures, a film

production company focussing on micro-budget filmmaking.

Their most recent short film, Through Rose-Coloured Glass, won the Best Waterloo Region Short Film at the Grand River Film Festival.

After graduating, Wilhelm found himself directing and Torres focussed on production.

They worked on big-budget films such as Suicide Squad and My Father and the Man in Black, but soon realized that their passion was creating their own content, while leaning towards a micro-budget model.

In September last year, Torres and Wilhelm came to the Kitchener Public Library to give a micro-budget filmmaking workshop.

They shared their experience

and gave advice in overcoming the financial barriers of filmmaking.

Wilhelm was quoted in the Kitchener Post saying the following: “Growing up in Kitchener I was told if I want to get into film I was actually encouraged to leave town.

So, I went to the University of Toronto and there I was told you have to go to Hollywood,” Wilhelm said to the Kitchener post.

“So that’s why I came back here, I wanted to show people they can make great films in their own backyard.”

Rather than focusing on what they didn’t have, the pair focused on what they do have: a huge amount of skill and dedicated volunteers. Use anything and everything you can get your hands

on: natural lighting, living-room sets, a volunteer cast. Use your skills to write, produce and edit the film. And by doing this you can make the film your own.

Finding a volunteer cast can contribute to huge savings.

Look for volunteers who are breaking into the industry, who are keen to throw themselves into your film. You do not need an A-list cast to make a good film; there is so much new talent out there.

One example of a hugely successful micro-budget film is Paranormal Activity. Oren Peli wrote, directed, co-produced, photographed and edited his entire film, consequently making huge savings. His cameras were placed on tripods, removing the need for camera crew.

The film cost $15,000 to make, and grossed over $193 million.

At Wilfrid Laurier University, there are so many ways to get involved in filmmaking. Start by getting some practical skills, such as video editing or directing.

One class that I am taking this term to improve my practical skills is FS370: Introduction to Video Editing. In this class we learn the principles and techniques of digital video editing, such as video capture, raw footage management.

Working with audio and colour correcting, and the compilation of clips into films.

Finally, be confident in your ability, take every opportunity that comes your way and do not be afraid to fail.

We all start somewhere.

quite a hard cover, but it’s not quite a soft cover either.

It’s a mix of the two with the biggest benefits of both — easy to hold and durable to boot.

Understandably, these are only available at Chapters Indigo.

However, it’s worth noting that these notebooks are almost always going on sale.

There’s no point in buying them for the price of a Moleskine if you can just wait a few weeks to get it

for half the listed price.

Keep checking on your favourite designs online and I promise that you won’t regret it.

STATIONARY

Just the journal for the job!

MADELINE MCINNIS CREATIVE DIRECTOR

I’m one of those students who, if I’m on my laptop, I’m bound to be on Facebook instead of taking notes.

For that reason, as well as to help with memory, I made the switch to handwriting.

Between my bullet journal, my creative pocket notebook, my publications notebook and my class notes, I almost always have my backpack jammed with paper.

So, here are my recommendations for the best notebooks for whatever the purpose.

Moleskine Moleskine is a classic and reliable choice; it’s what I use for all my class notes.

They also have limited edition prints too, if you’re into that kind of thing. Some I’ve seen in the past include Alice in Wonderland, Harry Potter and Batman.

They also do themed journals,

like the traveller’s or the wellness, for a cute do-it-yourself-withoutall-the-work vibe.

The only personal downside I see in Moleskine is that I prefer dotted or grid-lined paper and I had to go all the way to the brand’s home in Italy to find a grid journal in a colour that wasn’t black.

If you like lined paper, they’re readily available. Around here, you can find them at Words Worth Books and Chapters, and they come in almost every size and shape that you would need.

Essentials Notebooks Like all notebooks made by Peter Pauper Press, these were designed with cost and efficiency in mind.

I’d really recommend anything

by Peter Pauper — for the price, the quality is fantastic — but these notebooks are great for tossing in your backpack without worry of ruining them.

However, they only come in black, which might be a downfall for anyone who likes a little pop in their cover.

I got mine at Indigo, but I know you can also get them on Amazon. Last time I checked, they had Prime shipping too, so you can

use that sweet Student Amazon deal to get this one even faster and cheaper to boot.

Leuchtturm1917 They come in all the same sizes as the Moleskine journals, but typically include more pages.

I also prefer dotted paper to ruled, and Leuchtturm’s primary type is dotted, though you can find ruled, grid and plain pages as well.

Chapters Indigo typically has decent sales on them — usually around 30 per cent off — every month or so, but they only carry the pocket sizes and the large hardcover journals.

They also have a very limited selection of paper that’s not dotted.

Phidon Pens in Cambridge has almost every variety of this brand in virtually every colour — even the hundredth anniversary editions that I haven’t been able to find anywhere in Canada other than here!

Chapters Embossed Journals Most of the notebooks I’ve listed so far have only come in solid colours, but Chapters embossed journals come in tonnes of designs to match their styles of the season.

The covers feel awesome. It’s not

MADELINE MCINNIS/CREATIVE DIRECTOR

So, whether you’re writing the next great novel or doodling over your class notes, keep these brands in mind while you’re making your next notebook purchase.

They’re all a conducive of writing experience that I would highly recommend!

ARTS & LIFE • 13

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2017 ENTERTAINMENT

Poltergeist in the park

FOOD

Winner winner chicken dinner!

LUKE SARAZIN/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

TINA NORI STAFF WRITER

ALAN LI/GRAPHIC EDITOR

EMILY WAITSON OPINION EDITOR

On Thursday, Sept. 28th, students and the community members were invited to an outdoor screening of the 1982 spooky classic, Poltergeist.

An event hosted by Fresh Air Films and CreateWaterloo, it seemed to be an appealing activity for the university crowd.

Given the fact that it was free and hosted in a central area that many people in the city have easy access to, you would be hardpressed to find an easier way to draw an eager audience.

...heavy blankets, sleeping bags and pillows, cuddling against each other for a Pintrest-worthy movie date.

Locating the spot was difficult for a directionally challenged person such as myself — my boyfriend and I wandered around for over half an hour stupidly searching for other pairs of people weighted down with blankets.

We weren’t alone in this confusion however, as the event’s Facebook page had several comments pointing out the vagueness of the location and asking for directions.

We finally found it at the band-

shell in Waterloo Park West, an inflatable movie screen stationed at the head of the field.

A decent sized crowd was in attendance; couples and friends alike dotted the grass cozied up with heavy blankets, sleeping bags and pillows, cuddling against each other for a Pinterest-worthy movie date.

Some people had brought their own snacks, an element that would have heightened the experience for those without them — a.k.a. me.

Although the event advertised that, “Food trucks and activities would be on site,” neither were present, a dismay that I felt more considerably than the somewhat ambiguous location.

Hot food and drinks would have been a blessing to combat the cold evening, as the temperature got to us as soon as we settled down.

The movie started at dusk as promised, with everyone’s relaxed enjoyment more apparent in an outdoor setting where people were spread out and you could comfortably observe everything going on around you. Sound was never an issue.

It was just loud enough that people could talk to each other throughout the film, without the dialogue being drowned out by what would normally be annoying movie theatre chatter.

It was incredibly comforting to sit and watch a movie under the clear night sky, an evening of gracious weather that couldn’t have been any better.

Although Poltergeist is arguably not too scary by today’s standards, there was something unnerving about watching it outside at night, with a pitch-black forest as the main exit point.

This general unease seemed to ripple through the audience as the movie unfolded. Whenever Robbie’s iconic toy clown was shown leering at him from across

the room, the same voice in the crowd could be heard saying, “Oh no, no. Just throw that bitch out the window.”

The humorous additions from the people seated around us and the lighter tones of the movie divided up the creepier moments quite well, cutting through my edginess when everything goes to shit about fifteen minutes in.

...oh no, no. Just throw that bitch out the window

Stars were clearly visible above, a bonus that made the entire experience feel more unique.

The atmosphere felt tight-knit and cozy, everyone bonded together by this quirky movie viewing.

Having only ever seen Poltergeist on a small television set growing up, it was a pleasure to view what is now considered a classic Steven Spielberg story unfold on a big screen.

It certainly heightened the event and made it memorable.

Just make sure you look the specific location up on Google Maps and get snacks ahead of time and you’re pretty much guaranteed a comfortable evening activity.

You can’t beat seeing an 80’s thriller outside in the picturesque autumn weather at no cost.

A perfect date choice with nothing to lose, it was certainly a win-win in my books.

For those of you who know me personally, you will be able to confirm that one of my favourite food groups is chicken wings.

Not just any ol’ chicken wing either. They have to be saucy, crispy, and all flats please! Chicken wings can be a highly controversial and heated topic for those who consider themselves fanatics.

Seeing how I like to identify as a chicken wing snob, I have taken on the arduous task of sampling wings across town in search of the best wing deal Waterloo has to offer.

Competition was fierce, but these five wing joints distinguished themselves on price, taste, meat quality and atmosphere.

Morty’s Pub This pub is nearly bursting at the seams on wing night. With two nights, a dozen sauces and a breaded or unbreaded option — they couldn’t have been speaking my language more.

Plus, at eight dollars a pound and add some libations, you’re looking at a 15 dollar bill. Not bad!

The verdict however: not worth the raves. Big-not-huge, somewhat crispy and slacking on the sauce, the six wings I received could have been better, admittedly.

The atmosphere is that of any sports-bar, but at least the service was top-notch. I mean, those wings came out nearly minutes after ordering.

Wilf’s Outstanding wings await, these bad boys are meaty, saucy and big, accompanied by a nice medium sauce.

There’s nearly 20 sauces to choose from — medium is my favourite. Fire and Ice never disappoints either. The price is reasonable at nine dollars and fifty cents for ten wings, but add some brews and you are looking at a steep check.

This place also gets slammed on wing night so be sure to arrive early!

Abe Erb I have been a devoted Abe Erb wing-night goer since moving to the city. Crispy, loaded with sauce and delicious meat, they surely are addictive wings.

Not only that, they have a nice relaxed atmosphere. As for sauces, they don’t give you much to choose from other than their few “hipster” offerings.

Shockingly enough, this was the only pub that did not skimp out on the side of veggies.

Thank you Abe Erb for not cheating me of the four carrot and celery sticks I so rightfully deserve with my wings. There’s just one caveat: it’s 18 dollars for a pound and a pint.

Their house-made beers make it worth it, but if you’re looking for dirt cheap wings, look elsewhere.

Molly Bloom’s Irish Pub I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t expecting much from this pub chain.

But the honorable mention award goes to Molly Bloom’s! No pub offers you wings this crispy and succulent at rock bottom prices. That’s right, six dollars per pound!

Their wings are nothing if straightforward — bathed in Sweet Chili Thai sauce and the meat, though ample, isn’t as abundant as at other spots. The service could have been better, but nevertheless the wings were damn delicious.

Stark & Perri A pint, pound and a side of fries: ten dollars. By far the best deal in Waterloo. I got the medium wings which were generously fried to a crunch, then slathered even more generously with enough sauce to add to follow-up bites.

Complete with a perfect atmosphere to catch the game or to chill on the patio with friends, this spot is a go-to for wing nights.

With so many wing places to choose from, you’ll surely decide this list is “invalid” once you discover that your favourite place isn’t mentioned.

But I like to think there is no such thing as “the best wings.”

Great wings satisfy the hearts, stomachs and — hopefully — the pockets of the people devouring them, whether they are drenched in sauce, spicy, smoky or have a dry-rub.

14 • ARTS & LIFE

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2017

RADIO

Unique podcasts make for a unique experience But what I love about this series is the absurdity and dark humour in the writing.

SHYENNE MACDONALD ARTS & LIFE EDITOR

Want a break from life? Tired of the exceedingly mundane? Have you considered podcasts? Of course you have, everyone and their grandmother has a podcast they love. I have six that hold a permanent spot in my audio library.

However, I want to talk about just three podcasts and what makes them unique.

So my first one, which is currently what I’m listening to, is Super Soul Sunday from the Oprah Network. Oprah hosts different people within her circle, or who have been in the spotlight, and sits with them to discuss life and spirituality. But what makes this podcast unique is the focus Oprah places on the dark times in life.

“You have to get through Saturday to get to Sunday,” is something Oprah often says to her guests.

The role spirituality plays in the show is that we need a higher being to help us get through the hardest parts of our lives. Even if you aren’t religious, it’s still a

ALAN LI/GRAPHIC EDITOR

great podcast. It teaches you the importance of vulnerability within relationships and how to practice gratitude and find joy when all seems lost.

I started listening to Super Soul Sunday after finishing a different podcast called Serial. Great transition, right? But, Serial is the mystery everyone needs.

Without spoiling the plot, Julie Snyder does deep investigations of people deemed criminal.

In her investigations she brings up facts previously unknown, or just not taken into account, then leaves it to listeners to decide if they still find the condemned guilty or not.

Take for example, her season two case study, Bowe Bergdahl.

You may recognize the name from headlines. Bergdahl was an American solider held captive by the Taliban for five years.

He was tortured daily and the U.S. did everything to get him back.

Or did they?

Snyder looks into why it took five years to get Bergdahl back, what the U.S. sacrificed in place and why, before he even touched American soil, Bergdahl was being tried for desertion.

Like Super Soul Sunday, this is a podcast that makes you think.

Serial makes you ask the hard questions about law, justice and

morality. Is it right to jail a man who was a prisoner of war for five years? Listen to Serial and decide that for yourself.

If both those are too serious for you, then I would suggest Welcome to Night Vale. Writing about this podcast is a real throwback for me, because I first began listening to the series when I was still in high school. Since then, it’s grown exponentially. The creators, Joesph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor, travel across the world with their team, giving live shows and doing book signings.

But, what I love about this series is the absurdity and dark humour in the writing. As well as how the writers utilize the podcast and

narrate through the character Cecil Palmer, a radio show host delivering news to the desert town.

If you’re wondering what this show has in common with the others, it would be how it makes you question what we know.

The odd way simple things such as pets, or even apartment buildings are portrayed leave you looking at the world through a new lens. The only commonality that these three podcasts seem to share is their platform. Other than that, their genres, content and formatting are completely estranged from each other.

However, they’re also three unique podcasts that engage you and force you to ask the big questions.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2017

• 15

Editorial

OPINION EDITOR EMILY WAITSON opinion@thecord.ca

Note: On dressing up type of person to wear jeans to a wedding.

When I prepared for that night I sought out the most disgusting looking Hawaiian shirt I could find, a pair of off-white slacks and a bolo tie depicting a horse that my late grandfather had passed down.

Obviously the outfit wouldn’t be complete without white, low top Chuck Taylors — still a staple to this day.

And my parents just kind of shrugged.

I don’t know what was different about their parenting style, but they encouraged me to do whatever I wanted. My mom bought me the clothes I was too embarrassed to buy; my dad, in his relative silence, provided the exact kind of encouragement you would expect from a dude whose son started wearing nail polish.

As a tall, white male with my own set of obvious privileges, I always felt comfortable enough to express myself via any means necessary. Art, music, fashion, or just being a general loudmouth.

I realize now that it was my sense of privilege and entitlement that allowed me to deviate from any traditional path with full confidence, but I hope that doesn’t negate any of the power in the sentiment I am trying to express.

If you saw me wearing some wild shit, you might think a variety of different things.

You might make fun of me, or laugh at me, or you might see me and think, “damn I wish I had the guts to pull off a Canadian tuxedo.”

And my advice to anyone thinking the latter would be the most positively cliché bullshit you could possibly imagine: do you.

Life is too short to adhere to all of societies expectations, especially in an age where traditions are constantly being deconstructed.

I understand the value in practicing tradition, but culture is a fluid and constantly evolving concept.

I am personally looking hopefully towards a future where women aren’t expected to wear dresses and make-up, where men don’t have to wear ties and hold back tears and where gender is recognized for what it is: a social construct.

KURTIS RIDEOUT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

I know that I will probably piss a lot of angry old dudes off with this announcement but I wanted to jump aboard this train as early as possible: ties are stupid and so is telling people what to put on their bodies.

Full disclosure; the last time I wore a tie was at my beloved uncle’s funeral and the moment I entered the building the funeral director took me to a side room and fixed my tie.

Embarrassing, yes.

Whatever — the truth is out — I can’t tie a tie. Not even to save my life, probably.

I remember when I was 12, I dated this girl who was in the Air Cadets and she taught me how to tie a tie using the pink checkered shoelace that I had kept around my wrist as a bracelet. I took pride in that, for some reason.

But even then there was something so interesting about the dynamic of that relationship and more so, something I began to notice about myself that was a little... different.

While most of my peers were already on the path to traditional social-adherence, I was deep in my parents’ closet searching for weird shit to wear.

I had dyed my ever traditional colour and then opted to go for a Cruella De Vil look.

I remember this one girl once told me that everyone made fun of me because I wore my pants so high and tight, which — I am not going to lie — probably had a lot to do with the Ramones.

I can even remember the first time I had the chance to wear a tie; it was at that faux-graduation ceremony eighth-graders have before they are cast into the uncertain world of secondary-school.

I walked in to see all 12 of my peers looking relatively stunning.

To say the least, their parents probably insisted they dress nice.

And now I know why I’m still the

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Fighting hate with acceptance MADELINE MCINNIS CREATIVE DIRECTOR

On Sunday, Jagmeet Singh was officially elected the leader of the federal New Democrat Party.

Singh won this vote by an absolute landslide, which I think comes as no surprise to anyone who has been following the elections process.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t this the first time that a visible minority has been elected to lead a federal party in Canada?

That’s a huge step, but it’s not coming without it’s share of racism already.

In a video that went viral a few weeks ago, a women accosted Singh for being a Muslim and for pushing Sharia law on Canadians.

Despite the angry woman yelling and gesturing in his face, he encouraged a stance of love and compassion for everyone, including the woman.

Singh is not Muslim. He’s a practicing Sikh and could have easily said so to get back to his campaign rally without much more of a fuss.

But there was no point in that — that would be putting the hate on Muslims and distancing himself from the problem of discrimina-

tion.

Instead, he faced the problem with dignity and with love. He didn’t correct her because that wouldn’t fix the underlying issues of her statements and it wouldn’t do anything for the Muslims who are also just trying to live peacefully in Canada.

Whether this was a political move or not, I can appreciate that Singh stood up for all Canadians in his words and actions, not just the ones like himself.

That’s what I want to see in a leader. Even if he is pushing his own image, he’s making a difference while he’s doing it.

Unfortunately, I’m sure this is just the beginning of what we’ll see on the road to the next federal election.

Canada is, by far, not immune to the hate that’s going on to the south of the border. There are undeniable anti-immigrant sentiments and a discrimination for the Muslim community.

Singh, through his outward appearance and to the uneducated mind, may appear to be a beacon for both of those things.

He’s an outlet now, a man in a leadership position, that can be targeted with hate for how he appears.

It’ll just be an amplification of the micro-aggressions that regular Canadians face every day. That’s specifically why I think he’s great for the position that he’s in.

No matter how the NDP ends up polling in the next election, having Singh as a voice, both literally and symbolically, for minority Canadians in the House of Commons is a comforting feeling.

That’s what I want to see in a leader. Even if he is pushing his own image, he’s making a difference while he’s doing it.

If he continues to follow on this path of acceptance and education he has paved throughout his campaign, I have little doubt that he will make a difference in Canadian society and will end up in the history textbooks for years to come.

While there’s no one right way to respond to racism and discrimination, Singh’s compassion on a national level will hopefully start some discussions about modern racism and what it means in a Canadian setting.

Bringing these issues to a larger platform will mean that people will have to pay attention.

16 •

Opinion

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2017 OPINION EDITOR EMILY WAITSON opinion@thecord.ca

Criticizing content AARON HAGEY OPINION COLUMNIST

For those of you who are not overly familiar with YouTube, there has been intensifying racial controversy concerning an individual who is arguably considered to be the most successful video game entertainer and is the highest subscribed content creator on the website.

Felix Kjellberg, known widely by his gaming moniker PewDiePie, has rocked the boat in the internet community since February of this year. Various instances of racial insensitivity and blatantly anti-semitic “jokes” — such as paying someone to hold up a sign saying “Death to all Jews” — in combination with a change in public personality, have soured the opinions of many in the vlogging and gaming community.

Felix made his claim to fame through the unprecedented popularity of his various video game playthroughs.

His channel, which has become synonymous with content like horror games, popular “fad” games and videos that include wacky, zany and “lol xD random” antics, have attracted a specific kind of fan base that has become the centre of much debate.

Due to the exaggerated, “comedic” nature of his online persona, Felix’s fans are largely composed of adolescents between the ages of 13 to 16.

They have also been largely supportive of whatever trouble Felix has gotten himself involved in. This being a likely explanation for why his channel didn’t receive nearly as much criticism from YouTube itself in February.

He has a zealous and loyal following, which currently stands at over 57 million subscribers.

There is significant speculation

and confusion, as to the motivation behind his latest actions.

Felix is often featured in the background of many vlogs and real-life videos, specifically made by his YouTuber girlfriend Marzia Bisognina, where he seems rather shy and self-contained — the polar opposite of how he portrays himself on his own channel.

Now it isn’t possible to be certain which of these personalities are the true Felix, which is where most of the confusion has stemmed from.

It is important to mention his fan base because it is relatively well known that Felix is not overly dedicated to them himself.

They have also been largely supportive of whatever trouble Felix has gotten himself involved in.

It is well known that fans can be overbearing, boundary-pushing and just plain creepy; including attempting to locate where they live, visit and harass them in public.

While this is no surprise to many popular “YouTube celebrities,” it seems that Felix may be trying to utilize these radical forms of “comedy” as a means of distancing himself from his youthful fan base.

Felix has stated publicly that he never expected, nor wanted, to become famous and that his surprising prominence in the YouTube community was largely unplanned.

However, the fact remains that he has maintained his channel and made no public attempt to alter his online persona, or communicate to his followers if he’s outgrown

CONTRIBUTED IMAGE

his PewDiePie portrayal that has seemingly made him uncomfortable.

He continues to create content, a banner of hypocrisy exemplified in his latest videos such as “I’ve never given up like this” and “help.”

These examples of click bait are generated to gain the most views and increase the amount of ad revenue he receives from clicks, more than anything else.

Regardless of his careless attitude toward what he says and does on camera, he still earns his income from the fans that watch

his videos.

The merchandise that he markets to them, things that include overpriced sweatshirts and fidget spinners, earn him a significant amount of money as well.

It’s completely understandable that personas such as PewDiePie are designed to draw in a large, younger audience, ones that may become tiresome to the actual person himself after years of being exposed to them.

However, the manner in which he is going about this is going to be crippling for his future career. He

is either a flagrant anti-semite and racist, or simply inconsiderate and unprofessional.

He is setting a terrible example for many of his extremely impressionable fans and an even worse precedent for many of the flourishing and future popular gaming personalities in the community.

There is a certain degree of credibility that popular online presences should adhere to and Felix is one who adamantly refuses to properly uphold that responsibility for the sake of his ever growing audience.

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OPINION • 17

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2017

Following all airline rules

SERENA TRUONG/GRAPHIC ARTIST

Facing your fears VIDISH PARIKH STAFF WRITER

At a young age, I vividly remember being afraid of the dark. The basement was my worst nightmare and sleeping without a nightlight was unimaginable — it would almost certainly result in tears.

I was four then and looking back on it now, it sounds quite comical.

How could my greatest fear — the biggest obstacle that the child in me wanted to overcome — be the dark?

Fast forward over fifteen years and my next biggest fear has become public speaking.

Speaking in front of large crowds terrified me. I wanted to get better, I really did.

But no matter what I tried it seemed like I wasn’t making any progress.

The thing about being afraid of something is that it can often make you feel helpless.

It can also frustrate you to the point where you feel worthless.

This can make you want to give up.

That’s exactly the moment where you don’t give up.

We all need to work on improving our skill sets. This desire to grow is what will allow you to keep going.

Yes, you might be putting tremendous pressure on yourself, but a great deal of that pressure is necessary.

There really is no substitute to hard work. So, don’t cut corners.

Keep in mind that you are going to have to put in the time and effort if you want to improve. This means creating that extra hour or two in your schedule.

We all have busy lives, but this isn’t an excuse for putting something off.

If you work at it, day by day, you can chip away until you are able to make some progress.

Set weekly goals and celebrate your small victories.

Remember, no matter how insignificant it may feel at that moment, your future self will likely be thankful.

Look for people who are supportive of your dreams and aspirations — those who will push you to become the best version of yourself.

Sometimes, you need that voice cheering you on as you do something.

We all need a support system and most of all, we all need role models. So, find someone who you can trust to guide you.

On the other side, if you see someone struggling to overcome something or someone who just needs your help, make sure you are there for them.

We are all fighting our own battles no matter how large or small they may seem.

Embrace their differences. Don’t make them feel left out simply because they can’t do something as quickly or effectively as you can.

Stay patient, I’m sure there’s something you can learn from them as well.

The frustrating thing about fear and anxiety are that they might never quite go away. But, that’s just fine.

Learn to channel those feelings and convert them into whatever works for you.

In fact, it’s the pressure of speaking in front of a large audience — the sweaty palms, the nervous voice, the anxious mind — which allows me to make my best presentation.

The frustrating thing about fear and anxiety are that they might never quite go away.

In other words, I need the pressure and in some ways, I thrive off it. That’s what allows me to succeed.

When you want something so bad, you cannot let fear get in your way.

This means your desire to overcome any obstacles must be far greater than the obstacles themselves. That’s the bottom line.

Just take a moment to think; how satisfying will it feel when you overcome something you thought you could never do?

So, take baby steps if you must, maintain your growth mindset and surround yourself with people who will support you through your struggles.

You can do this, just trust the process and — most importantly — have faith in yourself.

ALAN LI/GRAPHICS EDITOR

MADELINE MCINNIS CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Recently, a woman was dragged off of a Southwest Airlines flight because she claimed that she was deathly allergic to dogs, didn’t have paperwork to prove she was alright to fly and there were two service dogs on board.

The airline has apologized for the way the situation was handled, but I honestly don’t understand why.

People get escorted off airlines every day. It’s not uncommon in the slightest. The vast majority of the time, it’s because the passenger in question was either not following the rules or was being unsafe.

Put yourself in the flight crew’s shoes. A passenger complains that they’re deathly allergic to something you know they will likely come in contact with.

At this point, you have one of two options.

You can take off with the passenger and run the risk of facing a life-or-death a medical emergency — while situated high above any hospital, likely also far away from a medical professional — or you can remove the risk.

The alternative is that you remove the medical risk all together for their own safety and the safety and training of all the crew that would have to deal with the medical emergency.

The choice seems extremely logical to me. Either provide the documentation that you’re okay to fly with a dog or wait until the next flight that doesn’t have any dogs on it.

There’s also that Delta flight that has gone down in infamy for dragging a man off when it was overbooked.

Did he deserve to be bloody and bruised? No. But he also should have left when asked without having to be dragged off.

The general process for an overbooked flight is to ask if there are any volunteers who would like to wait for the next flight. These volunteers are usually compensated pretty well.

If there are no volunteers, the

people who paid the least amount of money for their tickets will be bumped to the next flight.

That also makes a lot of sense.

Why would anyone want to bump the first-class passenger who paid more for their seat over the person who paid with a collection of points?

Removing a flight-risk, pun intended, is the most logical option and I don’t understand why that’s such a controversial opinion.

If it’s not that system — which is pretty rare — it’s a random seat that is chosen to be deplaned.

Sorry to break it to you, but you’re not special. Everyone on that flight is trying to get somewhere — they wouldn’t be on it if they weren’t — and no one gets special treatment if they’re

selected.

If it’s you, you’re unlucky, but you’re getting off — willingly or not.

It’s not like the airline is out to get you, either. If you’re being asked to leave, there will always be a good reason for it, whether it’s getting crew to their next flight or the risk for a death on board.

Air travel isn’t like getting into your car. You have hundreds of people around you and an extremely limited crew to take care of you.

You can’t just pull over if someone has a heart attack or an allergic reaction. Preventative measures are the best solution to a problem before it even starts.

Removing a flight-risk, pun intended, is the most logical option and I don’t understand why that’s such a controversial opinion.

You pay for your seat and you’re going to get there eventually, but if you don’t want to be bumped — and you don’t want to listen to the people who actually know the safety procedures and conduct required for flight — you better stick to your car.

Unless you’re renting your own private jet, you’re going to get some hiccups, that’s part of the industry.

18 • OPINION

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2017

Calling in versus calling out ABIGAIL BARRETT STAFF WRITER

“Your English is so good.”

Those were the words of my friend to one of our students as he shared his reflections on being an international student.

As harmless as they might seem — I’m sure the intentions of my friend were not negative — these words just didn’t sit well with me.

Maybe it was because I was also an international student. Maybe I too have been at the receiving end of that comment and maybe I was just so tired of white people feeling the need to compliment a person of colour’s ability to speak ‘good’ English.

The well-intended voice of my friend rang through my ears like a chime bell and my immediate response of anger and disappointment followed suit.

“You’re not supposed to say things like that, it reinforces a stereotype that people of colour cannot speak ‘good’ English.”

Before I could continue, I realized how differently the conversation could have happened.

In the moment, my primary concern was to let that friend know that she was being oppressive. Second to that, my goal was to assure

the student that I was creating a space where he didn’t need to be subjected to what I believe is a very offensive statement.

I realized only after the fact, that in doing the former, I had failed.

My friend walked away upset and quite frankly so did I. With the growing number of social movements and activism spreading so rampantly to educate people from all walks of life about the various issues that affect our society, I was drawn to the idea of calling people out.

Indeed, there is a lot of merit in doing so. I have witnessed and can attest to prolific conversations of learning and unlearning that started with calling someone out.

After all, when all you are left with is the “why-the-fuck-wouldyou-say-that” emotion and your gut instinct is to tell that person that they have erred or have been oppressive, why not?

My most recent experience with calling out taught me that even with the best intentions, to educate, uplift and defend different groups of people, calling someone out is an answer but it is not always the right answer. This brings me to a more recently emerging philosophy of ‘calling in.’

Calling in, according to Ngoc Loan Tr’ân in their work, Calling IN: A less disposable way of holding each other accountable, is “Extending to ourselves the reality that we will and do fuck up, and there will always be a chance for us to return.

Calling in is a practice of loving

each other enough to allow each other to make mistakes.”

I realized after my friend and I both stormed off, that maybe what would have worked out best was if we had the conversation differently.

One where the setting would allow us both to debunk what her intentions were, what ‘good’ English is.

This is a conversation that, fortunately for me, went well after we both had a bit of time to reflect.

Realizing that time is of the essence and that — in different situations — one might not always have the opportunity to walk away and come back, knowing how and when to call someone in is critically important.

After all, if our intentions are to support marginalized groups, we must make sure that those who are on the other side are being held accountable in ways that are effective.

Of course, I don’t speak for all people of colour, let alone all minorities, but on behalf of those who have had this experience and might share similar sentiments, we must be cognizant of our approach to dealing with our own oppression.

On the down side, this begs the question of what is the responsibility of the oppressed and the oppressor?

Surely, each has a part to play and depending on which side you’re on, that role will be very different.

ALAN LI/GRAPHICS EDITOR

Overcoming complacency during the school year That’s why this year I’ve decided to do something that I’ve always wanted to do while in school: get involved.

TYLER CURRIE OPINION COLUMNIST

I think I’m about to piss off Lemony Snicket because I’m sort of stealing his bit, but I don’t think you should be reading this article.

There are better things you could be doing with your time as this is the first published piece of opinion writing I’ve ever attempted.

Honestly, it’s probably going to be rough and there are certainly better things you could be reading in this paper by more experienced contributors to The Cord.

But I’m going to give it a go anyway, because everyone needs to start somewhere.

Sitting down to write something that’s about to be read by my peers is daunting and thinking of the potential eyes that could come across this piece adds weight to every word I type.

But I realize in certain situations everyone has that voice in their head telling them they aren’t good enough — to some that voice is a whisper that can be easily ignored.

To others though, the voice has a megaphone and stands on a stage built from insecurities and doubt.

The trick to ripping the rug out from under that pessimistic little bastards’ feet is to just keep

LUKE SARAZIN/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

moving no matter what it says and don’t stop until you end up in a place with a new perspective.

With practice, it’s possible to overcome this insecurity and right now is the perfect time to tackle it.

It’s still early in the new school year and the next seven months are a blank canvas rife with new potential opportunities, experiences and friendships.

For me though, it’s not long before I look up and suddenly realize that the fresh start has disappeared.

Seemingly out of nowhere, I’m smack dab in the middle of November, I’m neck deep in a pile of assignments I haven’t even started and the only time I’ve spent on campus was in the back of classrooms counting down the seconds until I could get home to finally peel off these uncomfortable jeans.

I blame the insecure little voice for getting me into this situation year after year.

When I’m taking naps between classes or watching Netflix, the voice is satisfied. It has nothing to

complain about, because I’m not taking any risks, and nothing could possibly go wrong.

But recently I’ve discovered that when the voice is quiet, it may be a sign that I’m not growing as a person.

That’s why this year I’ve decided to do something that I’ve always wanted to do while in school: get involved.

No matter what that pesky voice says, I’m not going to miss out on opportunities.

No more procrastinating, no

more Netflix binges and no more looking happily forward to the moment I get to go home and destress, sans-denim, I’m going to use this fresh start to get involved in activities that I’ve always wanted to try.

The little voice doesn’t like it, but honestly, I don’t like the little voice, so it can go fuck itself.

So, here it is. Despite my numerous doubts and worries, I’ve written an article for The Cord.

Sometimes all it takes to accomplish a goal is to take the steps forward no matter what insecurities brew inside you.

Which is exactly what I did, because let’s be honest, this was definitely a learning experience.

That’s okay though. With a little more experience under my belt, I’ll grow and be a better writer next time.

All in spite of that little voice.

• 19

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2017

Sports

SPORTS EDITOR PRANAV DESAI sports@thecord.ca

MEN’S SOCCER

Hawks fail to convert chances against McMaster GARRISON OOSTERHOF WEB DIRECTOR

The Laurier men’s soccer team battled with the McMaster Marauders on Friday. The game ended with a late goal by McMaster resulting in a disappointing tie for Laurier.

Coming off a two game win streak, the Hawks played Friday’s game with competitive confidence.

The start of the season has been difficult for the Hawks, Coach Halapir remarked, “We don’t want to be losing points from here on in and in the last five games, fair enough, three wins one tie one loss, we’ll take that.”

Laurier opted to play the first half of the match running against the wind for the chance to work with the wind in the end. Even with this disadvantage, Laurier applied strong pressure to the McMaster defence and earned several scoring chances due to winning one on one foot battles.

McMaster opened the scoring

with a quick goal to take the lead in the first 15 minutes. Laurier’s offensive play was a strong response to the McMaster goal; creating several scoring chances and a strike that went off the post.

It’s got to be the mentality, we go into every game believing and knowing that we should be able to compete with every team that we play.

-Mario Halapir, men’s soccer head coach

Mid way through the first half, the game reached a stalemate.

Both teams played a smart passing game to control play and work

FITNESS

QIAO LIU/CORD PHOTOGRAPHY

A place for everyone PRANAV DESAI SPORTS EDITOR

The Active Souls Project is the first all-inclusive gym in Kitchener-Waterloo.

Located at 987 Guelph St., the Active Souls Project is a gym that is unlike anything else you have seen.

The facility specializes in supporting everyone through both groupwork and through one-onone training.

“We’re completely integrated.

We have people here with different abilities. People with exceptional needs, athletes, day-to-day people, even newborns,” Founder and coach, Sascha King said.

“We work with children all the way up to seniors. We have a head coach in every class and then we have assistant coaches along with volunteers who have fitness backgrounds. So everyone is fully supported, no matter what your needs are.”

The project started off as a mobile venture and only focused on individuals with exceptional needs.

Over time, it gained enough steam to become a full-fledged athletic facility that welcomed everyone.

King stated that a key objective of the gym is to make sure that everyone is comfortable. There are no judgments.

“I started off only working with people who had exceptional needs and providing them mainstream support. We introduced equipment. We supported group homes, we traveled all over the Waterloo region and we still do those things,” she said.

“I opened the gym this past June and that’s where the next step came in: integration. We’re not government funded, we don’t have sponsorships. We just believe that everyone belongs.”

The Active Souls Project also features a number of different classes for athletes who play different sports, along with yoga classes for people of all ages. There is a large focus on mental fitness as well, not something you would expect to see at a regular gym.

“We’re not just coaches, we’re building a relationship with you.

We are giving you a place to go to be safe and for you to be you.

We’ve had a lot of people who are dealing with anxiety and depression,” King said.

“We have also had teenagers after going through rehabilitation for suicide come to us. The idea is to teach self-love, self-care and independence.”

The Active Souls Project is more than just a gym; it’s a place where you can go to feel better.

toward a scoring chance.

Finally, near the end of the first half, Laurier capitalized on a penalty kick to tie the game up going into the break.

However, the Marauders came out of the break with a new found energy.

Laurier repelled the McMaster advances and took the lead just 10 minutes into the second half.

Another tough call from the referee gave McMaster the ability to tie up the game in another penalty kick. The rest of the half was a flurry of activity, both teams determined to carve out a win.

In the end a victor couldn’t be decided. Despite Laurier doubling McMasters shots on net, the teams went their own way splitting the points.

McMaster being when of the better teams in their division, Coach Halapir was pleased with Laurier’s effort.

Halapir commented on his team’s winning mentality, saying

GARRISON OOSTERHOF/WEB DIRECTOR

“It’s got to be the mentality, we go into every game believing and knowing that we should be able to compete with every team that we play. It’s just that that’s not always an easy thing to do.”

“We can talk about it and we can draw it out on the chalkboard as far as the game plan goes but we still have to execute and I think today overall, we did a pretty good job of that.”

20 • SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2017

FOOTBALL

Golden Hawks fall short in Yates Cup rematch JOHN MCMORRAN CORD SPORTS

On Nov. 12, 2016 the Laurier Golden Hawks won a thriller in the OUA championship, beating the Western Mustangs on their home turf to take home the Yates cup.

With last year’s Yates Cup loss in mind, Western came to Laurier with a desire to exorcise their playoff demons.

The first two quarters of the matchup were ruled by defense, both Laurier and Western’s units refusing to yield a single yard without a fight.

Both teams’ kicking units were active as well, with Western’s Marc Liegghio drilling three field goals, Nathan Mesher of Laurier hitting two, and the two teams combining for a total of nine punts.

But, halfway through the second quarter, Western’s ground game came alive in a methodical drive, punctuated with Cedric Joseph plunging into the end zone on a five-yard run.

Western carried a 16-6 lead into halftime.

After half, the game returned to its former defensive struggle, with neither team managing a point until Western’s Cedric Joseph ripped off a 34-yard touchdown run to cap an 80-yard drive.

That increased Western’s lead to 23-6.

Early in the fourth, Western managed another field goal, putting them up 26-6, before Laurier received the ball and — with the help of a pair of 15-yard Western

...any time a drive ends with a punt, that’s not good against a high-powered team like Western.

-Michael Faulds, football head coach

GARRISON OOSTERHOF/WEB DIRECTOR

penalties — marched down to the Western six. From there, Michael Knevel hit Daniel Bennett on a beautiful 6-yard slant route to score Laurier’s lone touchdown of the afternoon, and close the gap to 26-13.

With a little over eight minutes left in the game, Western’s offense returned to their ground game, grinding out 72 yards in six plays — and taking three minutes and sixteen seconds off the clock — before Marc Liegghio added his fifth field goal of the day, increasing Western’s lead to 29-13.

In their final two drives, Laurier moved the ball, but both drives were cut short by turnovers as Laurier’s offense pressed for the

big play.

On a sunny afternoon with 7,166 fans in attendance, the game ended in a 29-13 Western victory.

After the game Laurier’s Head Coach Michael Faulds commented on his defense’s performance stating, “defensively we had some good stops, in particular early in the 3rd quarter we had some great stops, if we were able to get some offensive drives that resulted in points then, it maybe could have been a different game.”

There were also a number of offensive players who, despite the lack of scoring, demonstrated their prowess against the vaunted Western defense. “[Kurleigh] Gittens Jr. made a

lot of catches, there were times Michael Knevel threw the ball well, and there were a couple times Levondre Gordon got free on a couple of runs,” head coach, Michael Faulds said.

The trio posted impressive offensive statistics, with Michael Knevel completing 33 of 45 passes for 317 yards, one touchdown and a single interception, Levondre Gordon rushing 18 times for 107 yards and the sure-handed Kurleigh Gittens Jr. hauling in 18 catches for 174 yards.

Furthermore, Laurier’s offensive line went toe-to-toe with Western’s defense, refusing to give up a single sack of their quarterback, while Levondre Gordon slammed his way

From there on, Laurier would take over momentum as McMaster nearly put in another own-goal and the Hawks started to create more chances.

“There was a heavy wind and we were playing into it and we chose to do that because we wanted to deal with the wind in the first half,” head coach, Barry MacLean said.

“So, we were more than happy to concede possession and let them come at us, we didn’t wanna break defensively and hit them on any kind of counters we got and we were lucky we got one. We almost got a second in that same situation.”

The arrival of the second half would show the Golden Hawks putting on display the type of offensive firepower that MacLean expects.

By minute 51, Pauline McCordic would score on a pretty shot out of reach of Deanna Persico of McMaster, making the score 2-0.

12 minutes later, Laurier would add another goal courtesy of Emily Tamburro. Gagan Parhar would add to the score making it 4-0 on a sweet header off the corner kick from Nicole Lyon in minute 70.

With Laurier pouring it on them, McMaster would start playing an up-tempo game in an attempt to really turn the pressure up on Laurier and mount some sort of comeback.

With the exception of a goal from Jade Smith in minute 75 to

make it 4-1, Laurier would manage to hold their own despite the Marauders being able to effectively create some chances.

“We gave up a couple of chances,” MacLean said, “I would like to make sure that we don’t do [that] in the future.”

“But I think we handled it well and our goalkeeper managed the game well and we managed our time well,” MacLean said.

“I was pleased with everything.”

In regards to his team’s performance, coach MacLean voiced his pleasure with the team’s more recent successes, noting an improvement that looks hopeful for the future.

“I think, for me, this is the first time we played 90 minutes, where everybody committed to their role for the full 90 minutes,” he said.

“I thought at times we looked really good and very dangerous going forward and we finished chances which was great.”

“I was happy with the overall performance,” MacLean concluded.

With the Hawks playing at a high-level on offense, as well as defense and goalkeeper Ashley Almeida playing really well, they have begun to look like the team coach MacLean has expected them to be.

Moving up to 5-2-4 now, they will look to continue their high-level play versus Waterloo next Friday following their game at Guelph.

WOMEN’S SOCCER

WILL BORYS/CORD PHOTOGRAPHY

Laurier stays hot, smashes McMaster ABDULHAMID IBRAHIM LEAD SPORTS REPORTER

Coming off of two straight wins last weekend versus Algoma, the Golden Hawks came out looking to get a third straight and continue their high level of play against the McMaster Marauders.

On a day where the weather was favouring nobody, the women put on one of their best performances of the season to date. McMaster would come out strong, managing to get a couple of shots on goal

within the first couple of minutes of the game but by the five-minute mark, the game was delayed due to lightning in the area.

After a half-hour delay — with the weather clearing up — both squads would make their way back to the field to resume play.

The Marauders would continue holding onto the momentum until they ended up scoring on their own net in minute 39.

The credit would go to Maxine Murchie, pushing her season total to four.

through the holes created for him.

Unfortunately, the tale of the day was not Laurier’s ability to create yards, but their inability to cross the goal line.

“Offensively we would get a first down, maybe get two first downs and then the drive would stall,” Faulds said.

“You need to go first down after first down and end a drive with points, so any time a drive ends with a punt, that’s not good against a high-powered team like Western.”

Although there are some tough games ahead on the schedule, at 4-1 Laurier looks like a playoff team that could make a run deep into the post-season.

Hopefully, if Laurier sees Western again the results will be more reminiscent of last year’s Yates cup victory.

There is no doubt that the Hawks’ roster has the talent to repeat last year’s performance.